Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitors

An Aluminum Electrolytic capacitor, such as the 400AXW100M16X35, is a type of capacitor with an anode made of aluminum and a dielectric of an oxide film. This combination gives the capacitor a very high capacitance relative to its physical volume. It uses an electrolyte as one of the electrodes to provide a very high capacitance values, making it useful for a variety of applications.

Application Fields

Aluminum electrolytic capacitors are used in a wide variety of applications ranging from radio broadcasting and communications to consumer electronics. The primary feature of the capacitor that makes it attractive for these applications is its ability to store large amounts of charge in a very small package. This property makes it useful for signal conditioning, power supplies, and other related circuits. Other uses include coupling and decoupling of AC and DC power inputs, filtering, and bypassing to reduce noise or oscillations.

Working Principle

The basic principle behind an aluminum electrolytic capacitor is the same as any other capacitor – the voltage difference between two plates separated by an insulating medium. The plate that is connected to the negative side of the voltage source is an aluminum anode, while the plate at the positive side is usually large, flat piece of an oxide material.

When a voltage is applied across the capacitor, current is allowed to flow between the anode and oxide material. This current causes an accumulation of electrons and positive ions on the opposite sides of the oxide material, forming an electrical field. This field subsequently attracts more positive and negative ions to the sides of the oxide and this accumulation causes a capacitance in the device.

In an aluminum electrolytic capacitor, an electrolyte is added to the anode of the device. This helps to further increase the total capacitance of the device by providing a source of additional positive ions. This helps increase the capacitance of the device directly, as well as providing an additional potential source of current when the device is charged.

Conclusion

The 400AXW100M16X35 aluminum electrolytic capacitor is a small, inexpensive device with a wide variety of uses. Using the basic principles of a capacitor, this device is able to provide a high capacitance value in a very small package. It can be used in a variety of applications, from radio communication to reducing noise or oscillations. The electrolyte added to the anode gives the capacitor an extra level of capacitance beyond what it would normally have, as well as providing an additional potential source of current when the device is charged.